Jacob j



(No Model.) K f J. J. WBIGHEB..

. MAIL BOX.

110. 513,064. 11115111611 Jan. 16, 1894.

Fig. 2.

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UNITED STATES JACOB J. WFIOHFR, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, AssIGNOR OF ONF-HALF PATENT OFFICE.

TO GOTTLIEB IIALLER, OI3 SAME PLACE.

.MAIL-Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,064, dated January 16, 1894.

Application led October 22, 1892. Serial Ilo-449.563. (No model.) v

Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes; vand Ido hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,

which will enable other skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements lin boxes for receiving and securing mail matter, and is adapted to be secured to lampv posts, or on or near doors Of dwellings, offices or other places of business.

The object of my invention is to provide a mail-box of simple and economical construction, provided with one apartment for yreceiving the mail matter, particularly letters, and another apartment connected therewith for securing the same; the said box being so constructed and arranged that the mail matter when deposited therein, will automatically pass from the former apartment to the latter, and at the same time is adapted to sound an alarm when desired, upon the inside of the house or other building upon which my improved box is used, when a suitable alarm is properly connected therewith, thereby notifying the inmates that mail has been deposited therein.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mail-box soconstructed that when the receiving apartment is Opened by the postman it will remain open until closed, without the annoyance and inconvenience of holding it open until all the proper mail has been deposited therein.

My invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts as will be hereinafter set forth and particularly,

pointedout in the claims.

The objects of my invention are accom. plished by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying' drawings forming part of this specification, in which similar letters indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved mail-box, showing the arrangement of the pivoted bottom of the upper apartment thereof and the mechanism for operatingthe same. Eig. 2 is a front view of my improvement as it appears when in position for use, with the 'face of the upper portion broken away to show the supports for the sliding drawer. Fig. 3 is a detail perspectivel of the same showing the relative arrangement of the slots o and h and the lug K. j The box A adapted for receiving and securing mail matter may be of any desired size and is constructed of any suitable material, though I preferably construct it of metal, as that material affords greater strength and security, consistent with convenient size. It is preferably cast in one piece with a suitable back P and is adapted to be secured to a door jamb or other proper place.

The box A is preferably of a general rectangular form its interior being divided into two apartments by the pivoted drawer bottom C, and the upper part of said box forms' a forward 'projection having a suitable slot or opening S foi` the reception and operation of the sliding drawer B. 'lo the sides and upon the inner surface of said box is properly secured the strips or guides D adapted to form a support on which the drawer B is vertically adjusted by sliding thereon. One of the said Y strips or guides D is provided near its lower end with a transverse slot c for the lugKof the swinging bottom C; and upon one side of said drawer, at a point directly opposite the slot c is provided a sloth', adaptf ed for receiving and retaining thelugK when said drawer is opened.

To the inner surface of the front of box A is rigidly secured, or preferably cast therewith, a projection or stop h adapted` to engage and retain the drawer B when open for the reception of mail as seen in Fig. 1. The swinging bottom C is pivoted on the'pinsK-or rod I, which are properly secured in thesides of said drawer and is provided on one of its edges near its lower end, with a lug K adapted to readily pass through the slot c and into theslot h', where it is retained by the slides D when the said drawer is open. At one side of said box may be rigidly secured a suitable pleasure.

pin J against which the lower end of the bottom C will rest when the drawer B is closed andthe said bottom has automatically resumed its vertical position on the pivot I, though the said pin is not an essential feature of my invention and may be omitted at M is a suitable stop block for the top of said drawer andL is a suitable spring catch secured to the inner surface of the top of box Aby the screws a or other proper manner, and adapted to securely hold said drawer in position when closed, by engaging the `end thereof in a well known manner. Properly journaled in the sides of said box is the transverse rod G, which may have, if desired, a rigid collar F, to which rod G or collar F is rigidly secured the bent lever E adapted to press the bottom C into position to serve as a tight bottom for the drawer B, which movement of the bottom'C also disengages the spring hook L from its engagement with the top of the drawer B, and thus permits the Said drawer to descend or open by its own weight. To one end of the rod G is rigidly secured the operating handle ll adapted to turn the rod G and operate the lever E properly mounted thereon.

The lower part of the box A is provided with any suitable door N having aknob n, perforated lugs or hinges g, an ear or lug f adapted for adjustment over the staple e, properly secured in said box, by means ofwhich the said lower door can .be securely locked, and a proper glass O through which the contents of the said lower apartment can be readily seen. j

The lower front edge of the box A is provided with the perforated lugs or ears h, preferably cast therewith and adapted in connection with the lugs g to form a proper hinge for the door N, being united by a proper pin in a well known manner.

The operation and manner of using my improved mail-box thus described is as follows: The postman or other operator seizes the handle H and by a forward movement of the same presses the bent lever E against the lower part of the pivoted bottom C, which is thereby forced into a position parallel with the slides D, and so retained by the lug Kin the slot h; this movement of the bottom C also `forces the spring catch L out of engagement with the top of said drawer, when said drawer will descend or open by its own weight, on the slides D to any desired distance, when it is stopped by engagement with the stop b; the mail matter is then readily placed in the said drawer when it can be conveniently closed by pushing it upward on the slides D until it again engages with the catch spring L and the drawer B is closed. When the drawer B is in this position the lug K is directly opposite the slot c of the guide D, `thereby releasing the pivoted bottom C and permitting it to automatically assume a vertical position on the pivotl as seen in Fig. 1, thus dropping the contents of said drawer to the lower apartment of said box, when it can `be readily seen through the glass` O of the door N, and can be conveniently removed therefrom by opening the door N, which is adapted to swing downward on its hinges.

A proper alarm, when desired, maybe read- `mail is either being deposited therein or else Vthat the said box is being tampered with by intruders.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A mail-box, consisting of a box A, having a slot or opening S for the adjustment of a sliding drawer B'having a suitable knob or handle d, a slot 7L', and a pivoted or false bottom C, adapted for dropping the contents thereof' into the lower apartment of said box, the said drawer being adapted for vertical movement on the guides or supports D, a catch spring L adapted for `engaging the upper end of the drawer B, the transverse rod G secured in the sides of saidbox, provided with a bent lever E, rigidly secured thereto, adapted to press the pivoted bottom C into position for a tight bottom for the drawerB,an operating handle I-I adapted to rotate the rod G carrying the lever E, thereby releasing the catch V spring Land permitting the drawer B to automatically open for the reception of mail, and a doorN hinged on said box and adapted to be securely locked, all substantially as set forth and described.

2. In a mail box the combination of the box A having guides or supports D, a stop b, and an opening or slot S for the adjustment of a sliding drawer, the drawerB for the reception of mail and adapted for movement upon the guides D secured to the sides of box A, the said drawer having a swinging bottom pivoted on the pin I rigidly fixed in said drawer, said bottom being provided with a lug K, adapted for engagement with the slot h of said drawer when the said bottom is in position therein, a catch spring L adapted for engaging the top of the drawer B when the same is closed a transverse rod G having a leverE rigidly mounted thereon, and adapted to press the bottom C into engagement with the slot h and the guides D, thereby automatically releasing the spring L, an operating handle I-I mounted on one end of the rod G and adapted to rotate said rod, thereby operating the lever E, and a hinged door N adapted for the removal of said mail, all substantially as described.

3. The combination in a mail box of the box A having a door Nprovided with a lug fand a staple c, a back P for said box, and a catch spring L with a drawer B for receiving mail and adapted for vertical movement in said box through the slot or opening S, and provided with a handle d, aslot h a pivot I for IOO IIO

the adjustable bottom, and the pivoted botthe reception of mail, all substantially as set tom C having a lug K and mounted on the forth and described. L pin I, with the rod Ghaving a lever E adapt- Signed by me this 19th day of October, 1892. Io

ed for adjusting the pivoted bottom C, an op- JACOB J. WEICHER. 5 erating handle H properly mounted on the Witnesses:

rod G, and the stop b adapted for engaging WM. J. LERMORT,

the end of said drawer when it is open for Y W. C. MCCOWAN. 

